


And Then Frank Pulls Out a Knife

by FelineJaye



Category: Life Is Strange (Video Game)
Genre: Canon Compliant, Ep 2: Out of Time, F/F, Minor Violence, POV First Person, minor pricefield
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-11-05
Updated: 2015-11-05
Packaged: 2018-04-30 04:11:01
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,172
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5149802
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/FelineJaye/pseuds/FelineJaye
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Max agonises over her choice to Shoot or Don't Shoot. Even time-travel doesn't always provide easy answers.</p>
            </blockquote>





	And Then Frank Pulls Out a Knife

**Author's Note:**

> Contains Max crushing on Chloe, spoilers for Ep 2 of the game and threats of guns and knives.

And then Frank pulls out a knife.

The thing about Chloe is she has this punk absolute badass thing going on - walks the walk, talks the talk but when things get real real? She freaks. She freaked when Preston pulled the gun and she freaked when Richard got physical and she’s freaking now, with a knife in her face.

She’d just finished nursing me back to health. She’s my total bestie. I do the only thing I think to do.

“Please.” Frank almost instantly looks over at me, seeing the gun held in my shakey grip, “Please step back.”

I doubt I’m very intimidating, I don’t even know if I can follow through. I’ve never so much as held a gun no matter pulled one on an actual person before. Maybe he senses that, because Frank walks forward without fear, egging me on, to shoot him already.

I know, in my gut, by the time he’s taken his first step that I can’t shoot the gun.

And he reaches me and he takes it out of my grip. Claims it as ‘interest’ on this mystery debt Chloe owes him and he fucks off out of the junkyard.

“You really stood your ground.” she sounds let down.

“I freaked! I don’t like guns. **”**  I try to defend myself.

As Chloe lists of reasons why loosing the gun was a terrible idea, I find myself even more defensive. I point out my earlier thoughts and to my surprise, to my relief, she says she knows. She understands that I couldn’t do it. And, oddly enough, she claims she’s glad it worked out like this. With a parting line, she invites me out of the junkyard.

But I can’t leave it there. As soon as it didn’t feel like she was attacking me, I felt horrible. I’d practically handed Chloe’s gun over to that Frank guy! Now he’s armed and obviously dangerous and… if there was a way to just make him a non-threat… to keep Chloe safe. And there was a way.

When Chloe turned her back to walk away, I stuck out my hand and rewound right to when I started to feel better. After taking her photo.

* * *

“We should jet before-”

I tried to avoid the whole thing, of course, to get her to bounce. But there wasn’t enough time between when I felt well enough to rewind and when Frank showed up. Not enough time to convince skeptical Chloe and not enough time to do anything but follow the script.

And then Frank pulls out a knife.

Chloe still looks freaked, but I expect it this time. I have to wait until she sees the bracelet (that’s important and it will give a distraction). But I already know I’m going to pull the gun on him.

“Please.” Frank almost instantly looks over at me, seeing the gun held in my steady grip, “Please step back.”

I doubt I’m very intimidating, even if this time I have every right to be. I’ve still only done this all once before, and I hadn’t shot anyone before. Maybe he senses this weakness, because Frank walks forward without fear, egging me on, to shoot him already.

I know, in my gut, by the time he’s taken his first step that this time I’m going to shoot.

I pull the trigger and the gun gives a damning click. I blink in amazment - it’s empty. I wasn’t keeping count of the bullets, I didn’t know how many it had. I had assumed, since Chloe had been just about to teach me how to shoot, that the gun would still have bullets loaded. But it’s certainly empty.

He’s amused, but suddenly he isn’t and he gets this twisted look on his face, his whole attention centred on me. He waves his knife in my face, threats coming casually from his mouth. I regret this whole decision, already planning to rewind as soon as he leaves. Trying to shoot him was such a stupid move! Frank fucks off and I dip my head, raising it a little just to say one last thing before I rewind;

“Sorry.”

And then Chloe’s scuffed shoes are in my vision and then her arms are wrapped around me and her warmth is pressed up against my front. Because she’s hugging me. Passionately and unabashedly hugging me. Some corner of my mind says it’s probably an adrenaline rush but most of me doesn’t care because that hug feels really,  _really_  good. And she thanks me. For standing up for her. With a parting line, she invites me out of the junkyard.

But I can’t leave it there. I know now why she thought not shooting Frank and giving him the gun was a good idea. It doesn’t even have bullets - he’d probably try to shoot us later and have the same trigger-pull-click thing that happened to me. Plus, if he’s calling us 'Abbot & Costello’ he’d underestimate us. Wouldn’t be holding a grudge.

When Chloe turned her back to walk away, I stuck out my hand to rewind right to when I started to feel better. But I remember that hug and I hesitate. That… that hug, being her saviour again. It’s such a terrible choice but it almost makes it worth it. And I find myself torn between what I want to do. The smart choice where I never shoot? Or the dangerous choice where I misfire and… where Chloe hugs me.

With my eyes shut tight, my heart and my brain torn, I rewind.

* * *

“We should jet before-”

I tried to avoid the whole thing, of course, to get her to bounce. She doesn’t buy it, just like I knew she wouldn’t. The script plays, line for line. I feel heavy, a weight on my shoulders.

And then Frank pulls out a knife.

Chloe’s freaked out expression is absurdly comical. I mean, it’s not funny at all - it’s terrifying. But there’s something crazy about this whole mess. Why is this even happening to me?

“Please.” Frank almost instantly looks over at me, seeing the gun held in my loose grip, “Please step back.”

I doubt I’m very intimidating, not that I’m trying to be. I’ve done this twice and I just want it to be over. Maybe he senses this weakness, because Frank walks forward without fear, egging me on, to shoot him already.

I know, though I feel more and more regret with each moment, by the time he’s taken his first step that this time I’m not going to be hugged by Chloe. I don’t shoot.

The rest goes as it did the first time: Frank taking the gun, his amusement at us, Chloe’s ire and her acceptance. And I just feel so, so tired. A corner of my heart feels broken and the regret feels like rocks in my stomach. With a parting line, Chloe invites me out of the junkyard. I force myself to follow her - fearing the alternative where I relive this moment over and over and over.

**Author's Note:**

> This is what I did in my playthrough and, upon feeling real visceral regret over erasing the hug I decided I needed to write down what I was thinking in-character as Max at the time. And yes I've already posted this on on my tumblr.


End file.
